Breathe

"You know that Embry broke up with me, right?"

This was the first time that Liz had spoken to me in almost two weeks. It took me by surprise. Glancing up at her, I kept a straight face, and said, "no. When?" I had been waiting all day to see Jacob, so that he could meet Anthony and Julia, but something kept coming up, pushing it back further into the day than it had been originally planned. To be quite honest, I was getting a little upset.

"Two weeks ago. I'm surprised that he didn't tell you." Liz sat down next to me on the couch, crossing her arms over her chest. "I mean, you hang out with Jacob and all of them all the time."

"Nope. Embry hasn't said a word."

I wasn't sure if I was supposed to feel sympathy for her or not. Liz and I, while we'd stepped off on the right foot, we didn't have anything in common. So, we resorted to silence.

"I'm glad, I guess."

"Was there a specific reason? I mean.. if you don't mind me asking."

She looked at me, and I could see it in her eyes that she still needed a bit of closure. Embry and Liz didn't even date for a month. In fact, I hadn't even been sure that they were dating. "He said that there are things about him that I can't understand, and that it would just be better for us to stop seeing each other."

"Oh."

My original thought had been that Embry might have imprinted on her. That obviously wasn't the case.

"I don't hate him, if that's what you're thinking," Liz said quietly. She was slumped on the couch, and it almost looked like she was going to slide right off of the cushions.

"It'd be pretty normal if you did."

*

When Jacob's Rabbit finally pulled into the driveway, my heart burst. It was almost eight o'clock, and I'd spent all day cleaning, eating, and bumming around the house. I hated feeling anxious, but that seemed to be the only emotion that I could feel lately.

I met Jacob halfway down the front sidewalk, pulling my jacket on as I went. "Everything go ok?" I asked, raising my eyebrows a bit.

He shoved his hands in his pockets, and shrugged. "Same as always. Sam wanted to keep me as long as he could. Just to make sure everything was clear."

We hugged, and I knew that there was something on his mind that was bothering him. "What's wrong?" I asked. Jacob looked at me, tilting his chin downward, for I still had my arms around his waist.

"Nothing. I'm just tired."

We got in the car quietly, and as soon as we were on the road, I said, "Anthony and Julia demanded that we go to the beach. They haven't seen it yet."

"It's not that great, but okay," Jacob said, chuckling quietly. He took my hand, rubbing the pad of his thumb against the back. I didn't have to direct him too much. It was almost like he knew exactly where he was going. "Before you get out," he said, grasping my hand like I was going to fly away. "There's been something on my mind that has been bugging me for the last two weeks."

"Yeah?"

"So, I guess that the whole imprinting thing kind of obligates our relationship, but even so, I need to know -"

"It doesn't."

He smiled, and my stomach twisted into a thousand different knots. "I just need to know where we're at."

I pressed my lips together, and stifled a smile. "We're at Julia's grandma's." He knew I was joking, but I felt the mood was way too serious for the situation.

"Will you be my girlfriend, Sarah?"

Fireworks.

If this were a movie, that's what would've happened.

Or at least, that's what would've happened in my movie. I leaned over the center console and kissed him, closing my eyes. "Of course I will." Jacob cupped my chin in his hands and pressed his forehead to mine. We kissed one more time before getting out of the car and retrieving the circus acts that I liked to call Julia and Anthony.